ALLEN PARK – A day after the Lions’ unexpected playoff loss to the Washington Commanders, Terrion Arnold was no longer a rookie.

After a hectic and memorable season since Detroit drafted him No. 24 overall in last year’s NFL Draft, Arnold officially closed that chapter. And he’s confident that his experiences will help him succeed moving forward.

“I’ll be the best corner in the league pretty soon,” Arnold said Sunday afternoon as Lions players cleared out their lockers at the team’s practice facility. “I’m very confident.”

The Alabama product was thrust into a starting role with a playoff team and one of the NFL’s top defenses from Day 1 with the Lions.

By the season’s end, he had logged 699 coverage snaps, the most of any rookie cornerback in the league, according to Pro Football Focus.

Arnold believes he grew throughout that challenging season.

“I feel like coming into this role, it was a lot,” Arnold said. “I got better as the season went on, started to find myself, and it’s just one of those things where I’m looking forward to next year.”

In his first four games, Arnold seemed far from being one of the best cornerbacks in the league. He was flagged eight times during that stretch and allowed 16 catches, as teams continually targeted him.

Arnold attributed those penalties to inexperience, not lack of talent, as he adjusted to NFL officiating.

“It wasn’t a matter of if I was beat, it was a matter of just turning your head and locating the ball,” Arnold said. “And those are things that you can fix. It was never about lining up against someone better than me; it was about inexperience, not seeing. The only way to improve is to be out there.”

In his final 14 games, including the playoff loss to Washington, Arnold was penalized only twice. Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn noted Arnold’s improved performance as opponents began targeting him less.

“TA early on, he was getting targeted a lot, then he started improving, really,” Glenn said before the Lions’ regular season finale. “So, I don’t think his targets are actually up to where they were early in the season.”

After Carlton Davis, another starting cornerback, was injured late in the season, Arnold often faced more difficult assignments. The Lions’ defensive scheme, which leaned heavily on man coverage, posed additional challenges for the young cornerback.

“It was nothing but experience,” Arnold said. “Like I always said, a lot of teams sit back and play zone. I had to go out there and challenge wide receiver 1’s, and I’m young.”

Arnold recovered from an ankle injury in time to play against the Commanders. Despite the painful playoff defeat, he’s already looking ahead to his next opportunity.

“I’m looking forward to playing again,” Arnold said. “That’s all I think about. When I woke up this morning I said ‘I can’t believe it’s over.’ But the only way to ease the pain for this type of heartache is to get back to the drawing board and get back to work.”